Srinagar, April 3 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Thailand on Thursday to attend the sixth BIMSTEC summit. Following the summit, he will head to Sri Lanka for his first visit since the election of its new president.

In a statement before his departure, Modi emphasized BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) as a key platform for fostering regional development, connectivity, and economic growth in the Bay of Bengal area over the past decade. He also noted that India's North Eastern region plays a central role in BIMSTEC due to its strategic location.

"I look forward to meeting the leaders of BIMSTEC countries and engaging in productive discussions to strengthen our collaborati...